Strathcona County offering residents money to have neighbourhood gatherings
Strathcona County is making it easier than ever to host neighbourhood gatherings.
The county announced that applications for community grants opened up on Friday (Mar. 31) and will be accepted until May 1.
"A safe, supported and connected community is the foundation of the Strathcona County Social Framework," the county said in a release.
Applications open for the G3 Grow Beyond Scholarship
This year, six individuals will receive $5000 each through the G3 Grow Beyond Scholarship.
The scholarship is open to students (excluding Quebec) who are graduating high school this year and beginning post-secondary education in any field of study.
G3 CEO Don Chapman says they're excited to help six more Canadian students achieve academic success through the G3 Grow Beyond Scholarship and contribute more ideas to benefit Canadian farms and their capacity to feed the world.
New wheat research projects will benefit prairie farmers
Results from new research projects funded the Alberta Agriculture Funding Consortium will benefit prairie producers.
The AFC consists of 18 agricultural organizations that leverage and coordinate funding to support sustainability, diversification, and long-term growth for agriculture and the food industry in Western Canada.
One of those groups is the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission.
For 2022-23 Sask Wheat has committed over $467,000 to four projects funded through AFC.
Here's why you might be paying more for your power bills
Some Albertans may see a rise in their power bills this month.
About 800,000 Albertans on a regulated rate option (RRO) for their electricity are expected to pay a bit more than usual.
This rise comes from the end of a program from the provincial government which put a cap on power costs. The program capped charges at 13.5 cents per kilowatt hour for the first three months of the year.
'A good first step' food bank reacts to federal grocery rebate
The federal government plans to introduce a grocery rebate that could impact up to 11 million Canadians.
The rebate is a part of the 2023 federal budget that is being tabled by the federal Liberals and would be targeted toward low-to-middle-income citizens in an attempt to ease the stress of high food prices.
The one-time payment depends on the situation of each eligible recipient, which includes $234 for single Canadians, $467 for couples who have two children, and $225 for seniors.
Vehicle fire closes a portion of Highway 37
Highway 37 near Namao was closed for a portion of the morning (Mar. 31).
A blue Jeep caught fire on the side of the road.
Fire crews responded quickly and were able to extinguish the fire and remove the vehicle from the road.
The highway has since re-opened in both directions.
There is no word on the cause of the fire or if anybody was injured as a result.
More people with greater needs driving $7B increase to dental-care cost
The federal government now expects far more Canadians with long-overdue dental needs to sign up for its insurance plan, and the health minister says that's why the estimated cost has risen by $7 billion.
In its 2023 budget Tuesday, the government revealed the federally-administered insurance program will be far more expensive over the next five years than it originally thought.
It is also projecting that ongoing costs after that will more than double, to $4.4 billion per year, up from $1.7 billion.
Changes coming to Fort Saskatchewan waste collection
The City of Fort Saskatchewan will be changing up their waste collection schedule this weekend.
Starting Saturday (Apr. 1), the city will be moving back to its weekly organic, or green cart, waste collection.
"Residents are encouraged to use their green carts for all organic materials and not just yard waste," said Sadie Miller, the waste program supervisor for the city. "Everything from your food scraps to soiled paper products can be placed in your green cart."
Police reveal how many charges alleged Fort Saskatchewan fraudster faces
A Fort Saskatchewan man is facing several charges related to fraud.
Taylor Berezowski, 22, was arrested in Edmonton during an investigation into several Facebook and Kijiji scams in early March.
Berezowski was wanted on outstanding warrants for fraud-related crimes in Edmonton, Vermillion, and Fort Saskatchewan.
With two court dates in the coming weeks, Berezowski faces a total of seven charges so far:
- Fraud under $5,000 (x2)
- Failure to attend court (x3)
Berezowski faces two other charges from when he was a minor.
Farmers invest in new more efficient grain drying technology though the Agricultural Clean Technology program
Ottawa announced funding this week for farmers looking to upgrade their farming operations to include more efficient grain drying technology.
Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announced $22.2 million for 45 new projects through the Agricultural Clean Technology program - Adoption Stream.